Comparison of lead complications with polyurethane tined, silicone rubber tined, and wedge tip leads: clinical experience with 822 ventricular endocardial lads.

Lead-related complications have been prospectively studied for 602 unipolar tined endocardial ventricular pacemaker leads implanted over a five-year period. No differences were noted in overall complication rates between 238 polyurethane insulated leads (4.2%) and 364 silicone rubber insulated leads (3.6%). Comparing the total series of 602 tined leads to a retrospective survey of 220 wedge tip leads, a marked reduction in dislodgements (0.3% vs. 7.7%, P less than 0.001) and reoperations (2.0% vs 15.0%, P less than 0.001) was found using tined leads. We conclude that tined ventricular leads are far superior to wedge tip leads with respect to lead complications.